Advice on a missing player conundrum

[MrFahrenheit]

Hi folks,

In the campaign I run, there was a huge battle over a city a couple sessions ago. At one point (the last part of the battle), the party was holed up in this noble family's house. While waiting for the last squad of enemies to get within range, everyone except the party thief were getting into defensive positions and preparing for this final onslaught.

The party thief, however, chose to utilize this prep time to rob the nobles blind (a bag of holding is one helluva item for rogues). He rolled high, and I saw - and still see - no reason to disallow that. He got some paintings and jewelry.

Fast forward to tomorrow: thief is going to be accused during the victory dinner by the lady of the house of burglary. At this point I should mention that she's been cheating on her husband with the party sorcerer, and has him near totally in her corner for rp decisions she plays a part in.

So here's the problem: the player of the thief can't make my next session. I hate the idea of sending his character to jail or even killing him, depending on his character's response, while he's not there irl to play.

I've spoken with the player about what his character would do, but it just seems like he wants his character to deny it, and doesnt grasp the fact that his character only has a 5% chance of that seeming plausible. Advice?

[hymer]

Play King of Tokyo (or whatever your group's preferred board game is) next time you meet, and have the session when the players are all present.

Edit: An anti-cimactic way out could be to compromise. The rogue doesn't get executed for his crimes, but gets some sort of geas on him, which forces him to serve the noble house he betrayed. You can use that compulsion to explain future absences, too.

[Ruslan]

Send him to jail, with trial pending. Let the rest of the party play whatever little adventure you throw their way. Perhaps they can go around collecting evidence and questioning witnesses. Or a side quest.
Next session, when he's back, play out the trial.

[dickerson76]

How continuous is the story? Is there any break at all between the end of the last session and the beginning of the next, allowing the thief to not be there story-wise? Could he have stepped out looking for a fence for the looted goods? Or be off hiding the bag of holding so that he doesn't have any evidence on him? Maybe she's not 100% certain it's the thief and is still looking to gather evidence.

My advice: Stall. Have her not raise the issue until the thief's player is back. Maybe she's biding her time and doesn't feel that the victory party is the right time to bring it up. Maybe she's spoken to the authorities and the thief is being held while evidence is gathered and presented.

[gfishfunk]

The dinner happens tomorrow night. What happens that day? Plan out something that happens earlier in the day.

[MrFahrenheit]

Hmm. I'm really liking the idea of jail pending trial. The party is going to be sent on their next quest at the end of the feast. I know that the player irl probably won't mind having to use his backup in the meantime, either. Thanks all!

[Rhaegar]

For my game, if a player can't make a particular session we just postpone until everyone is able to make it. We either don't get together, or get together and play one of our favorite board games.

[R.Shackleford]

Hi folks,

In the campaign I run, there was a huge battle over a city a couple sessions ago. At one point (the last part of the battle), the party was holed up in this noble family's house. While waiting for the last squad of enemies to get within range, everyone except the party thief were getting into defensive positions and preparing for this final onslaught.

The party thief, however, chose to utilize this prep time to rob the nobles blind (a bag of holding is one helluva item for rogues). He rolled high, and I saw - and still see - no reason to disallow that. He got some paintings and jewelry.

Fast forward to tomorrow: thief is going to be accused during the victory dinner by the lady of the house of burglary. At this point I should mention that she's been cheating on her husband with the party sorcerer, and has him near totally in her corner for rp decisions she plays a part in.

So here's the problem: the player of the thief can't make my next session. I hate the idea of sending his character to jail or even killing him, depending on his character's response, while he's not there irl to play.

I've spoken with the player about what his character would do, but it just seems like he wants his character to deny it, and doesnt grasp the fact that his character only has a 5% chance of that seeming plausible. Advice?

I just want to say.

Once a PC becomes an Antagonist you have every right to stop them.

By doing all this the Rogue is acting directly in the worst note re at of the party. PCs are a protagonists club, they can be good, evil, lawful, or chaotic... But once they turn into an Antagonist and cause problems for the group they are no longer a PC.